Geel
Switzerland, October 1998
FILM,
Experimental,
49 min.
- directed by
- Luciano Berini, Leandro Manfrini
- Written by
- Leandro Manfrini, Luciano Berini
- Status
- In distribution
One of the most progressive examples of efforts to help the “mentally ill” has its origins in the Middle Ages. According to the legend, in around 600 AD an Irish king’s daughter ran away from home to escape the incestuous designs of her father and was eventually murdered by him at a place called Geel, in what today is the Flemish part of Belgium. A cult grew out of the legend of the young Dymphne, and eventually this led to the building of a hospital for mental patients in Geel. A tradition was created that required such people to be brought to Geel by their families. They would then spend nine days in devotional prayer as a penance, after which they would be taken into custody by local families, rather than going home. This tradition of custodial families has lasted through the centuries, and today there are 600 families in Geel willing to take someone “crazy” into their homes.
Risale ad una vicenda medievale l’esperienza più avanzata in materia di assistenza ai «malati di mente». La leggenda racconta della figlia di un re irlandese, fuggita verso l’anno 600 per sottrarsi alle mire incestuose del padre e poi da questi raggiunta e uccisa a Geel, nelle Fiandre Belghe. Attorno al culto della giovane Dymphne nacque a Geel anche un ospedale per malati di mente. I malati venivano condotti a Geel dai loro parenti, si sottomettevano a una «novena» penitenziale, e quindi – anziché tornare a casa – erano accolti da famiglie del luogo. La tradizione dell’affidamento familiare, si è mantenuta nel corso dei secoli. A Geel ben 600 famiglie accettano di ospitare vita natural durante un «matto» nelle proprie abitazioni.
credits
- World Premiere
- October 1998
- Original Version
- Italian, colour, Digi Beta, 49 min.
- Production
- RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera
- Producer
- Federico Jolli, Leandro Manfrini
- directed by
- Luciano Berini, Leandro Manfrini
- Written by
- Leandro Manfrini, Luciano Berini
- Location Sound Mix
- Graziano Monzeglio
World Sales / World Rights
- World Sales
- RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera